Are these questions good for a church tournament or Bible bowl?
Yes. They were chosen at the difficulty of finals and tiebreakers, always with a Bible reference to check in case of a challenge.
40 Hard Bible Trivia Questions with Answers and References
Updated November 10, 2026
Quick answer
A free list of 40 hard Bible trivia questions, each with an answer and a Bible reference. It is a good fit for Sunday school teachers, church leaders, and serious Bible students.
Need exactly 40 questions? This set is the first 40 questions of our hard list, with an answer and a Bible reference for each. It is the right size for Sunday school teachers, leaders, and serious Bible students.
Use it freely in your church. You can print it as a PDF after a free sign-up, or show it on a screen in presentation mode.
The questions, with answers and references
1. Who was the oldest man in the Bible, and how many years did he live?
Answer: Methuselah, 969 years — Genesis 5:27
2. Besides Elijah, who was taken by God without experiencing death?
Answer: Enoch — Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5
3. Who was the "mighty hunter before the LORD" tied to Babel and Nineveh?
Answer: Nimrod — Genesis 10:8-12
4. Which king and priest of Salem blessed Abram?
Answer: Melchizedek — Genesis 14:18-19
5. In which cave was Sarah buried?
Answer: The cave of Machpelah — Genesis 23:19
6. Which servant would have inherited Abram's household if he had no son?
Answer: Eliezer of Damascus — Genesis 15:2
7. What was the name of Jacob's daughter?
Answer: Dinah — Genesis 34:1
8. What Egyptian name did Pharaoh give Joseph?
Answer: Zaphenath-paneah — Genesis 41:45
9. Which two sons of the priest Eli died on the same day?
Answer: Hophni and Phinehas — 1 Samuel 4:11, 17
10. Who died after touching the ark of God to steady it?
Answer: Uzzah — 2 Samuel 6:6-7
11. In whose house did the ark stay for three months, bringing blessing?
Answer: Obed-edom's house — 2 Samuel 6:10-11
12. Which left-handed judge killed King Eglon of Moab?
Answer: Ehud — Judges 3:15-21
13. What happened to the statue of Dagon in front of the ark?
Answer: It fell twice; the second time its head and hands were broken off — 1 Samuel 5:3-4
14. Which king of Judah became a leper after burning incense in the temple?
Answer: Uzziah — 2 Chronicles 26:16-21
15. Which wicked king of Judah repented in captivity and was restored?
Answer: Manasseh — 2 Chronicles 33:11-13
16. Which prophetess was consulted when the Book of the Law was found?
Answer: Huldah — 2 Kings 22:14
17. What was Daniel's Babylonian name?
Answer: Belteshazzar — Daniel 1:7
18. What were the Hebrew names of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego?
Answer: Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah — Daniel 1:6-7
19. Which prophet was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs from Tekoa?
Answer: Amos — Amos 1:1; 7:14
20. Against which nation is Obadiah's prophecy directed?
Answer: Edom — Obadiah 1:1
21. Which book of the Bible never mentions the name of God?
Answer: Esther — Esther
22. What is the shortest chapter in the Bible?
Answer: Psalm 117 — Psalm 117
23. What is the longest chapter in the Bible?
Answer: Psalm 119 — Psalm 119
24. Which psalm is attributed to Moses?
Answer: Psalm 90 — Psalm 90
25. Who was the high priest at Jesus' trial, and before whom was Jesus first taken?
Answer: Caiaphas; Jesus was first taken to Annas, his father-in-law — Matthew 26:57; John 18:13
26. According to the Jews, how many years had the temple been under construction at the start of Jesus' ministry?
Answer: Forty-six years — John 2:20
27. What was the name of the servant whose ear Peter cut off?
Answer: Malchus — John 18:10
28. What was bought with the thirty pieces of silver Judas returned?
Answer: The potter's field, called the Field of Blood (Akeldama) — Matthew 27:6-8; Acts 1:19
29. By what other name is Matthew called in the Gospels?
Answer: Levi — Mark 2:14; Matthew 9:9
30. To whom did Luke dedicate his Gospel and the book of Acts?
Answer: Theophilus — Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1
31. Which sorcerer in Samaria wanted to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit?
Answer: Simon — Acts 8:9, 18-19
32. Which false prophet was struck blind for opposing Paul on Cyprus?
Answer: Elymas the magician (Bar-Jesus) — Acts 13:6-11
33. Which couple explained the way of God more accurately to Apollos?
Answer: Priscilla and Aquila — Acts 18:24-26
34. Where in Athens did Paul preach about the "unknown god"?
Answer: At the Areopagus (Mars Hill) — Acts 17:22-23
35. Which silversmith of Ephesus stirred up a riot against Paul?
Answer: Demetrius — Acts 19:24-29
36. Before which Roman governors did Paul defend himself at Caesarea?
Answer: Felix and Festus — Acts 24:1-27; 25:1-12
37. Which king said to Paul, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian"?
Answer: King Agrippa — Acts 26:28
38. Who was the runaway slave Paul pleads for in his letter to Philemon?
Answer: Onesimus — Philemon 1:10
39. How does Paul describe Luke in Colossians?
Answer: The beloved physician — Colossians 4:14
40. Who deserted Paul because he "loved this present world"?
Answer: Demas — 2 Timothy 4:10
Activities to use with these questions
Open the meeting with a Bible activity and close with the questions from this list. Each page has step-by-step instructions, a key verse and a variation for your group.
Frequently asked questions
How do I prepare for a Bible quiz competition?
Work through questions regularly and read the passages behind them. The references on each answer tell you exactly where to look.
Which Bible translation do the references follow?
The references give book, chapter, and verse, which hold in any English translation. Small differences in wording between translations do not change the answers.
Is there a printable PDF?
Yes. With a free Cinira Master account you can print this list or save it as a PDF.